U.S. patent application number 09/754330 was filed with the patent office on 2002-07-11 for control system for agent websites.
Invention is credited to Lee, Yuan-Chieh.
Application Number | 20020091565 09/754330 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25034329 |
Filed Date | 2002-07-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020091565 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lee, Yuan-Chieh |
July 11, 2002 |
Control system for agent websites
Abstract
A novel control system for agent websites is provided. The
invented control system for agent websites is used in an internet
system comprising: at least one internet user site; at least one
promoting website to provide advertisement services; at least one
promoted website to be promoted by the promoting website for
products, services or information available; and at least one agent
website to control advertisement of said content generating website
and accesses to said promoted website. When an internet user
accesses to the promoting website from the user site, the user site
is linked to the agent website, thereby the agent website provides
advertisement information to the user site and the provided
information is displayed on the screen of the user site. The agent
website imports data saved in a recording file in the user site
after it is linked with the user site. When the internet user
selects a product, a service or information at the displayed
advertisement information page from the user site, the selection
(request) is forwarded first to the agent website, such that the
agent website obtains data saved in the recording file, saves the
data and, thereafter, links the user site to the promoted website.
As a result, the advertisement information may be frequently
updated and correct selection and transactions may be easily
processed. Correct historical data of website visiting and
transaction activities may be easily recorded.
Inventors: |
Lee, Yuan-Chieh; (Taipei,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BACON & THOMAS
625 Slaters Lane - 4th Floor
Alexandria
VA
22314
US
|
Family ID: |
25034329 |
Appl. No.: |
09/754330 |
Filed: |
January 5, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
705/14.51 ;
705/14.67; 709/202 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 30/02 20130101;
G06Q 30/0271 20130101; G06Q 30/0253 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/14 ;
709/202 |
International
Class: |
G06F 017/60; G06F
015/16 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A control system for agent websites to be used in an internet
system comprising: at least one internet user site equipped with an
internet accessible computer; at least one promoting website to
promote products, services and/or information in said internet
system and to provide at least one advertisement web page; at least
one promoted website to allow transaction of products, services
and/or information being promoted by said promoting website; and at
least one agent website to control displaying and selection of
advertisement information at said advertisement web page of said
promoting website; characterized in that said control system links
said internet user site to said agent website after said internet
user site is linked to said promoting website and said
advertisement web page is provided to said internet user site, such
that said agent website supplies a predetermined advertisement
information to said internet user site and that said advertisement
web page and predetermined advertisement information are displayed
at said internet user site in combination; that said control system
requests said agent website to allocate a recording file in said
internet user site or to create a recording file in said internet
user site, if no recording file is allocated in said internet user
site; wherein said recording file records at least address of said
internet user site in said internet and data representing said
predetermined advertisement information; and that, when a selection
instruction is input from said internet user site, said control
system forwards said instruction to said agent website to actuate
said agent website to pick up data in said recording file and links
said internet user site to said promoted website to execute a
purchase transaction.
2. The control system for agent websites according to claim 1
wherein data saved in said recording file comprises a membership
number, a name, a birthday, a domicile area, sex identification, an
email address and/or a domicile address.
3. The control system for agent website according to claim 1
wherein data saved in said recording file comprises operation
environment of said internet user site corresponding to
advertisement information being displayed.
4. A control system for agent website to be used in an internet
system comprising: at least one internet user site equipped with an
internet accessible computer; at least one promoting website to
promote products, services and/or information in said internet
system and to provide at least one advertisement web page; at least
one promoted website to allow transaction of products, services
and/or information being promoted by said promoting website; and at
least one agent website to control displaying and selection of
advertisement information at said advertisement web page of said
promoting website; said method comprising the following steps:
linking said internet user site to said agent website after said
internet user site is linked to said promoting website and said
advertisement web page is provided to said internet user site, such
that said agent website supplies a predetermined advertisement
information to said internet user site and that said advertisement
web page and predetermined advertisement information are displayed
at said internet user site in combination; requesting said agent
website to allocate a recording file in said internet user site or
to create a recording file in said internet user site, if no
recording file is allocated in said internet user site; wherein
said recording file records at least address of said internet user
site in said internet and data representing said predetermined
advertisement information; and when a selection instruction is
input from said internet user site, forwarding said instruction to
said agent website to actuate said agent website to pick up data in
said recording file and linking said internet user site to said
promoted website to execute a purchase transaction.
5. The control system for agent websites according to claim 4,
further comprising a step of importing data of said recording file
and said selection instruction in said agent website when a
selection instruction is input from said internet user site.
6. The control method for agent websites according to claim 4 or 5
wherein data saved in said recording file comprises a membership
number, a name, a birthday, a domicile area, sex identification, an
email address and/or a domicile address.
7. The control system for agent website according to claim 4 or 5
wherein data saved in said recording file comprises operation
environment of said internet user site corresponding to
advertisement information being displayed.
Description
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a control system for an
agent websites, especially to a control system for agent websites
in the internet.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0002] In the recent days, the internet has become an important
marketplace for all kinds of produces and services. Many "agent
websites" in the internet function as brokers or matchmakers of
products and/or services provided. The agent websites utilized the
wide spread network to catch the attention of internet users form
all over the world to purchase products and services in the
internet. On the other hand, the agent websites collected almost
unlimited number and kinds of products and/or service in the
virtual market. Some experts predicted that the agent website will
become a major trend of the future business.
[0003] However, in the internet, buyers or visitors are physically
spread in all areas of the world. For the agent websites it is not
possible to build up personal relations with their buyers or
visitors during their purchase or visiting activities. For these
agent websites, how to make personal contacts with their customers
in order to maintain the consumer relation or even to encourage the
customers to continue their purchasing activities, has become a
problem. These agent websites are trying every efforts to record or
to investigate who the visitors/purchasers are so to build up their
consumer relation and to create more business opportunities.
[0004] In addition to this, for these agent websites, advertisement
is one of the most important source of income. In the previous
days, income for advertisements is collected according to the "hit
rate" of the websites. Nowadays, the advertisement expenses are
collected according to the staying time of the visitors and the
success rate of actual transactions. As a result, how to
automatically generate statistic data for the staying time and the
success rate of a website, or even a web page, has become the most
task of most agent websites.
[0005] Nevertheless, the business style of the agent website has
changed from passive to active. As the quantity and variety of
products, services and information collected and provided in the
agent website are growing so fast that the internet users have lost
their patience searching (surfing) in the internet for products,
services and information of interests. The agent websites have to
provide efficient navigation tools for their visitors and customers
according to their specific needs and interests. It is thus
necessary to provide a navigation device in the internet to record
the visiting and purchasing activities of customers and efficiently
provide them with information of products, service and information
to comply with their needs or interests at the first place.
OBJECTIVES OF INVENTION
[0006] The object of this invention is to provide a control system
for agent websites to simplify the supply of advertisement
information in the internet.
[0007] Another object of this invention is to provide a control
system for agent websites to execute correct display and selections
of advertisement information.
[0008] Another objective of this invention is to provide a control
system for agent websites to automatically and correctly record the
visiting and transaction activities of internet users.
[0009] Another objective of this invention is to provide a control
system for agent websites to automatically record the visiting
activities of internet users in order to provide navigation
services.
[0010] Another objective of this invention is to provide a control
system for agent websites such that no additional hardware or
specific software is needed in a website providing advertisement
information.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0011] According to the present invention, a control system for
agent websites is provided. The control system for agent websites
is used in an internet system comprising: at least one internet
user site; at least one promoting website to provide advertisement
services; at least one promoted website to be promoted by the
promoting website for products, services or information available;
and at least one agent website to control advertisement of said
content generating website and accesses to said promoted website.
According to the invented control system for agent websites, when
an internet user accesses to the promoting website from the user
site, the user site is linked to the agent website, thereby the
agent website provides advertisement information to the user site
and the provided information is displayed on the screen of the user
site. The agent website imports data saved in a recording file in
the user site after it is linked with the user site. When the
internet user selects a product, a service or information at the
displayed advertisement information page from the user site, the
selection (request) is forwarded first to the agent website, such
that the agent website obtains data saved in the recording file,
saves the data and, thereafter, links the user site to the promoted
website. As a result, the advertisement information may be
frequently updated and correct selection and transactions may be
easily processed. Correct historical data of website visiting and
transaction activities may be easily recorded.
[0012] These and other objectives and advantages of this invention
may be clearly understood from the detailed description by
referring to the following drawing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING
[0013] FIG. 1 illustrates the system flow chart of the control
system for agentr websites of this invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
[0014] FIG. 1 illustrates the system flow chart of the control
system for agent websites of this invention. As shown in this
FIGURE, the control system for agent website of this invention is
used in the internet 100 comprising at least one internet user site
101 with which an internet user accesses the internet 100. The user
site 101 is linked to a particular website 102 through the internet
under a network communication protocol, such as the uniform
resource locators (URL). Website 102 functions as an advertisement
service providing website for products, services and/or information
provided by other websites. The website 102 may be called a
promoting website.
[0015] The internet 100 also comprises an agent website 103. This
agent website 103 functions as agent or distributor for products,
services and/or information as displayed in the web page of the
promoting website 102. Agent website 103 may also function as agent
of the advertisement service, i.e., agent to the promoting website
102. In general cases, the agent website 103 also provides, among
others, advertisement information for the products, services and/or
information provided by the promoting website 102. As a result,
both the promoting website 102 and the agent website 103 provide
the same advertisement information at the same time to catch more
attention of the internet users.
[0016] When the agent website 103 is agent or distributor to the
products, services and/or information being displayed in the
promoting website 102, its function is to enable the user site 101
to link to the promoting website 102 via the advertisement
information page as provided by the promoting website 102. After
the internet user obtains the displayed advertisement information,
the internet user may put a purchase order by clicking at a
predetermined location on the displayed web page of the promoting
website 102. At the agent website 103, a database in which all
kinds of useful information of the products, services and/or
information being promoted, such as suppliers, quantity in stock
etc., are stored
[0017] When the internet user sends a purchase order from the user
site 101, the purchase order is forwarded to a promoted website
105. The promoted website 105 is supplier of the promoted products,
services and/or information. The promoted website 105 may also be
the warehouse of the agent website 103. Upon receipt of the
purchase order, the promoted website 105 delivers the products,
services and/or information to the internet user to complete a
transaction.
[0018] If the agent website 103 is an advertisement agent, when an
internet user sends a purchase order for a certain product, service
or information by clicking a predetermined location of the web page
of the promoting website 102, the user site 101 will be linked
directly to the promoted website 105. The promoted website 105 will
then deliver the ordered product, service or information to the
internet user through its standard delivery channel. In that case,
record of the transaction is not forwarded to the agent website
103. The visiting activities and the purchasing activities of the
internet user is recorded by the promoting website 102 and the
promoted website 105, respectively.
[0019] In the conventional art, when the agent website 103 does not
provide advertisement information, it is not possible for the agent
website 103 to utilize the visiting and purchasing requests of the
internet user, because the visiting activities and purchasing
activities of the internet user are recorded by and saved at the
promoting website 102 and the promoted website 105. In addition, if
the internet user does not send a purchase order, record of such a
visiting activity does not include the personal information of the
internet user. As a result it is not possible for the agent website
103 to provide further services, including navigation services to
the internet user according to the past visiting activities of the
internet user.
[0020] In the conventional art, if the advertisement information
provided by the promoting website 102 is more than one page, it is
necessary to provide a plurality of broadcasting addresses for the
provided information at the agent website 103. In such a
circumstance, it is necessary to install proper software at the
promoting website 102, such that the request of different
broadcasting addresses may be forwarded to and be executed by the
agent website 103. Of course it is possible for the promoting
website 102 to provide the advertisement information from only one
broadcasting address. However, in doing so, special design in the
communication between the promoting website 102 and the agent
website 103 is needed. As a result, the compatibility of the
hardware and the software between them becomes a problem to be
solved.
[0021] In order to solve these problems, the control system for
agent websites of this invention provides a novel method of
communication among the agent website, the promoting website and
the promoted website. When the user site 101 is linked to the
promoting website 102 to request relative advertisement
information, the promoting website 102 forwards a web page or web
pages to the user site 101 and links the user site 101 to the agent
website 103. The agent website 103 then takes charge to supply
advertisement information to the user site 101 and to conduct the
following operations. Under such a design, the requested
advertisement information may supplied by the agent website 103
from a constant host IP address and a constant information
broadcasting address. When the internet user selects another
information column from the web page of the promoting website 102,
the broadcasting address of the agent website 103 may be shifted to
another. However, when another information page of the same
information column is requested or when the information page is
shifted to another by rotation or by any other reason, the
broadcasting address is not changed. It is thus possible for the
promoting website 102 to virtually provide a variety of
advertisement information at the same address, as long as the same
information column is selected. As a result, no special software is
needed to satisfy the need in providing various advertisement
information at the promoting website. The problems of the
compatibility between the hardware and the software and the
compatibility between the systems of the promoting website 102 and
the agent website 103 may be solved.
[0022] In the present invention, when the user site 101 is linked
to the agent website 103, the agent website 103 imports a record
file from the user site 101. The record file may be a particular
file stored in the user site 101. Preferably, in the record file
useful personal information of the user site 101 or the internet
user is saved. In the application of this invention, if no such
record file exists at the user site 101, a record file is created
by the website 103. When the record file is created or found, the
agent website 103 will insert a code in the record file to record
the advertisement information requested by the and forwarded to the
user site 101.
[0023] As described above, in the conventional art, when the
internet user selects a particular web page or information and the
user site 101 is ready to enter the transaction procedure, the
request is directly forwarded to the promoted website 105, for
which the products, services and/or information is being
advertised. As a result, it is impossible for the agent website 103
to record the purchasing activities of the internet user, so to
provide other valuable services.
[0024] In the present invention, when the internet user selects a
particular web page or information and the user site 101 is ready
to enter the transaction procedure, the request is forwarded to the
agent website 103, instead of to the promoted website 105 directly.
At this step, the agent website 103 allocates the record file in
the user site 101 as well. The purchase request is then recorded in
the record file and, thereafter, the user site 101 is linked to the
promoted site 105.
[0025] Under the control system for agent websites of this
invention, the visiting activities and purchasing activities of
internet user may be recorded in detailed correctly and customized
navigation and other valuable services may thus be created and
provide to the internet user, according to the history of the
internet user's visiting and/or purchasing behaviors.
[0026] The following is a detailed description of the operation of
the control system for agent websites of this invention, as is used
in the provision of advertisement information. FIG. 1 illustrates
the system flow chart of the control system for agent websites of
this invention. In this FIGURE, the numbers represent the flowing
steps in sequence:
[0027] At step 1, the user site 101 is linked to the promoting
website 102 under a network communication protocol, such as URL. A
particular web page providing particular advertisement information
is being requested by the user site 101.
[0028] At step 2, upon such a request, the promoting website 102
forwards a page containing a column designated to the requested
advertisement information to the user site 101 and links the user
site 101 to the agent website 103. Under such a linkage, all
advertisement information provided to the user site 101 is supplied
by the agent website 103. All advertisement information designated
by the selected column is provided from a constant broadcasting
address and the same host IP address. When the internet user
selects another column from the web page provided by the promoting
website 102, the broadcasting address may be changed. However,
changes of advertisement information being supplied does not change
the broadcasting address, as long as the selected column is not
changed. As a result, it is not necessary to install any additional
hardware or software at the promoting website 102 in order to
supply to internet users a variety of advertisement
information.
[0029] At step 3, the user site 101 forwards the personal
information of the internet user to the agent website 103. The
personal information of the internet user may include the email
address or domain address, access time and other information of the
internet user or the user site 101 .
[0030] At step 4, the agent website 103 links itself to the user
site 101 by using the personal information supplied by the user
site 101.
[0031] At step 5, the agent website 103 allocates a record file in
the user site 101 and the user site 101 forwards its email address
or domain address to the agent website 103. Here, the record file
may be a file provided with membership number of the internet user
and other information such as name, birthday, area of domicile,
address, telephone number, sex, email address etc., which may be
taken for reference in providing valuable services to the internet
user. If no such record file exists in the user site 101, a message
representing failure in allocating such a record file is forwarded
to the agent website 103 along with the address of the sure site
101 in the internet 100. At this moment, the agent website 103
creates a record file in the user site 1101 and gives it a
membership number.
[0032] At step 6, the visiting activity of the internet user and
the relative membership number is saved in a database 104 of the
agent website 103 to be taken for reference in the statistics,
analysis and services of the agent website 103. The information as
saved in the database 104 includes the address of the internet
user, access time, advertisement information having been viewed or
selected, or other useful information saved in the record file of
the user site 101.
[0033] At step 7 the environment of the user site 101 and the
advertisement information being displayed are recorded in the
record file of the user site 101. Here, the record file is the one
allocated or created by the agent website 103 in the previous
steps. In some embodiments of this invention, the environment of
the user site 101 includes series number of viewing window created
at the user site 101, or any information representing the executing
environment at the moment when an advertisement information page is
being viewed.
[0034] The above steps are repeated, when the advertisement
information being supplied is changed, as long as the internet user
does not select another column in the web page of the promoting
website 102. The advertisement information may change by
rotation.
[0035] At step 8, the internet user inputs a purchase instruction
at the user site 101. At this moment, data representing
advertisement information being displayed/viewed, as well as the
address of the user site 101 and time of display, are forwarded to
the agent website 103.
[0036] At step 9, the agent website 103 links itself to the user
site 101 according to the address provided by the user site
101.
[0037] Thereafter, at step 10, the agent website 103 reads the
record file from the user site 101 and records the operation
environment of the user site 101. Here, the operation environment
of the user site 101 may be used to match to an advertisement
information file or code, representing the advertisement
information being displayed, in the database 104.
[0038] At step 11, the information saved in the record file of the
user site 101 is saved in the database 104. The saved information
includes the address of the user site 101, the access time of the
user site 101, the advertisement information being displayed,
viewed and/or selected and other information that is useful in
providing valuable services to the internet user.
[0039] At step 12, the agent website 103 redirects the user site
101 to the promoted website 105.
[0040] Thereafter, at step 13, the user site 101 is linked to the
promoted website 105 to complete the purchase transaction. Before
the user site 101 is linked to the promoted website, the purchasing
activities of the internet user are recorded by the agent website
103.
[0041] In the process as described above, the linkages are
conducted within a very short time, such that no inconvenience will
be brought to the internet user.
EFFECTS OF INVENTION
[0042] As described above, the control system for agent websites of
this invention links the user site to the agent website during the
most important period of the displaying, viewing and selection of
advertisement information. Correct records of personal information,
web page visiting activities and selecting/purchasing activities
may be easily obtained.
[0043] In the control system for agent websites of this invention,
the advertisement information being display/viewed is recorded at
the user site, such that correct displaying and selection functions
may be provided by the agent website. There is not need to install
any additional hardware or software at the promoting website.
Incompatibility problems between the agent website and the
promoting website may thus be avoided.
[0044] As the present invention has been shown and described with
reference to preferred embodiments thereof, those skilled in the
art will recognize that the above and other changes may be made
therein without departing form the spirit and scope of the
invention.
* * * * *